Author Q&A: Living Space by Kathryn Weber

Kathryn Weber is the author of, Living Space: Simple Steps to Transform Your Home
, which was influenced by her passion for feng shui, decorating, business and style. Encouraged by her own success in “creating her life” with feng shui, good design, and thoughtful living, she embarked on a career in helping others do the same with feng shui.

In 2005, she began writing Living Space, a home lifestyle column dedicated to helping readers create beautiful, harmonious and supportive home environments that is syndicated nationally through Tribune Media Services. Kathryn is visiting the blog today to talk about her new book.

Deb Bailey: Thanks for joining us today, Kathryn. What inspired you to write, Living Space?

Kathryn Weber: Living Space is a compilation of my weekly newspaper columns from the past two years. The book seemed like a good opportunity to put these columns together so homeowners and DIY-ers could have all the tips and ideas in one place.

Deb: That's terrific. So, what's the book about?

Kathryn: The topic is about creating a home that’s beautiful, comfortable, organized and clean easily and with a budget in mind, and going room by room. It seemed like there was a common thread of specific room decorating, such as kitchen, bedroom, home office, etc., that seemed like a natural fit for a book.

Deb: Did you have a specific reader in mind for Living Space?Who will get the most out of it?

Kathryn: It's for anyone who wants to improve their life by improving their living space. It’s perfect for those who like to decorate or tackle home improvement projects on their own, specifically people like me who enjoy prowling around home improvement stores for neat new gadgets, organizer and decorating ideas.

Deb: There are so many decorating books on the market. What do you feel makes your book different from the others?

Kathryn: I like this question! The reader is the difference. The goal of Living Space is to take great interiors and living spaces and reduce it to projects that can be accomplished with a small amount of construction or DIY experience. After all, many of the topics featured in here are ones I have done myself, so I really like how-to’s. I also like to read about certain decorating styles, such as Industrial or Chinoiserie and boil them down to their essence. The reader can then apply that “essence” to their own home and transform the look of a bedroom or a living room for example.

Deb: When people read, Living Space, what do you want them to come away with?

Kathryn: That they can tackle home improvement and decorating projects, and that it can make a difference in their lives. I often watch home makeover shows where someone has lived in a rundown home and then they’re moved into something brand new and beautiful. I know there is no way their lives will not be changed by the change in their environment. And while this is extreme, I think the same is true of the average homeowner. When we make shifts and changes to our home, such as improving organization, beautifying or making it easier to clean, our lives improve. It’s that simple. When you change your home, you don’t just impact the house – you change your life.

Deb: Any advice for the busy woman entrepreneur who wants to create a comfortable home and work environment?

Kathryn: I am so glad you asked this! My advice is: don’t neglect your home. It’s easy to think that answering another ten emails is going to get you further ahead in your day or your life, but it just doesn’t. If your bathroom is organized so you can get dressed in the morning quicker and more efficiently, or the yard is an oasis that lifts your spirits at the end of a long day, or coming home to a house that’s clean and orderly, that’s what’s going to make a huge difference in the quality of your life and the life of your family. I say this as a female entrepreneur, too. I firmly believe that the clean, attractive and organized state of my home helps me be more effective in my work life.

Deb: You obviously love your work. What inspires you?

Kathryn: Growing up, I was had one of the first career moms. Our house was often in an uproar….loads of laundry undone, messes here and there. It felt a little out of control. Yet when I went to my grandmother’s house, it was beautiful, clean and life was much more pleasant. I saw firsthand how a clean, attractive house had an effect on members of the household. I also noticed when I grew up that when we cleaned house, our family became more relaxed and that life became more enjoyable and pleasant. It became an obsession of mine to create a better, more balanced environment as a way to create a better life. Home is where the heart is, so when your home is a heartache you avoid it and that creates more heartache. But when your home is a wonderful, enjoyable place to be, your heart’s happy. I enjoy helping people have a better home, and by extension, a better life.